17 October 1970
Show ; Name *Top Gear ; Station *BBC Radio One ; YYYY-MM-DD *1970-10-17 ; Comments *Tracklisting below is from Volume 1 of the Decktician Logs. Many thanks to Decktician, Ken Garner for copying and additional information, and Rocker for acting as central HQ. *Three "one-session wonders" are featured, with repeats for the historic session by Son House and the sole session by Dr. Strangely Strange. *A first broadcast for The Amazing Band's only Top Gear session. They were a free-jazz outfit with a floating line-up, based around trumpeter Mal Dean (known for his cartoons in Melody Maker) and violinist Rab Spall, who appeared on the version of Robert Wyatt's "Moon In June" on the LP Soft Machine - Third. Producer John Walters was interested in free jazz at the tima and was probably responsible for booking them. Walters attempted to defend them at their BBC audition, saying "A band concerned with experiments in free improvisation can hardly be failed as there is no real yardstick to measure them by", but the panel weren't impressed. Comments included "Pretentious....boring....a musical confidence trick of the first order" (quoted in Ken Garner, The Peel Sessions, p.252) *The Rod Stewart track "Lady Day" may be a tribute to Billie Holiday, although the lyrics describe a "one-sided love affair" from the singer's viewpoint. The song's title is the nickname Holiday was given by Lester Young. Sessions *Amazing Band #1 First broadcast of only session, Recorded 1970-09-29. *Son House #1 Repeat of only session. First broadcast 11 July 1970. Recorded 1970-07-06. *Dr Strangely Strange #1 Repeat of only session. First broadcast 06 June 1970. Recorded 1970-05-26. (Please add details of any commercial release of these sessions) Tracklisting (Please add further release details, external links, etc.) *Kevin Ayers & The Whole World: Butterfly Dance (single) Harvest HAR 5011 *Family: Lives And Ladies (LP - Anyway) Reprise RSX 9005 *Mountain: My Friend (b-side of single - Sittin' On A Rainbow) Bell BLL 1125 *Dr Strangely Strange: Jove Was At Home (session) *Amazing Band: Find (session) *Jimmy Campbell: Dulcie (It’s December) (LP - Half Baked) Vertigo 6360 010 *Everly Brothers: I’m On My Way Home Again (single) Warner Bros WS 7290 (US release) *Son House: My Good Gal (session) *Byrds: Chestnut Mare (2xLP - Untitled) CBS S 64095 *Dr Strangely Strange: Ashling (session) *Rod Stewart: Lady Day (LP - Gasoline Alley) Vertigo 6360 500 *Humblebums: All The Bent People Do It (LP - Open Up The Door) Transatlantic TRA 218 *Amazing Band: Amazing March (session) *Son House: Death Letter (session) *Son House: Don’t You Mind People Grinnin’ In Your Face (session) *Elton John: My Father’s Gun (LP - Tumbleweed Connection) DJM DJLPS 410 *Skid Row: For Those Who Do (LP - Skid Row) CBS 63965 *High Tide: Blankman Cries Again (LP - High Tide) Liberty LBS 83294 *Dr Strangely Strange: Mary Malone (session) *Pete Brown & Pibiokto!: Flying Hero Sandwich (single) Harvest HAR 5028 *Mr Fox: Little Woman (single) Big T BIG 135 *Snooky Pryor: Going Back On The Road (LP - Snooky Pryor) Flyright LP 100 (US release) File ;Name * * ;Length * ;Other * ;Available * Tracklisting only Category:1970 Category:Peel shows Category:Top Gear